I'm taking notes on today's House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing on the draft clean energy & climate legislation introduced by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA).
My notes are below. Please note that if it's not in quotation marks, it's my hasty summary of remarks, not a direct quote.
5:10pm: Updated with more opening statements, the latest round compiled for us by the National Wildlife Federation's tag team partner on hearing coverage this week, environmental communications consultant Bill Hodges.
Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) -- 4:54pm
Draft is a good starting point, but just that. Looks forward to filling in blanks. Reduction goals, use of allowances, important questions. innovation, deployment of technology. Appropriate transition steps. Creation of green jobs. Not increase constituents power bills. Isn’t enough to just say no, but how to get to yes. Any RES must do more than bill does. More to encourage CCS deployment.bill will be an engine to assure we are the leader of exporting clean technology.
Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) -- 4:45pm
Allowances component has big hole. Both sides should step up to plate. Congress dictates in some places how market achieves reductions, and this should be discussed. How were Target goals set? RPS – questions whether there should be a standard. Include nuclear, other forms. Efficiency – decoupling, transmission issue, pleased with offsets, but unfair to businesses by discounting them. 1:1 ratio. Where do revenues go? They should go back into addressing climate.
Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA) -- 4:41pm
Bill will shape our environment, economy, and energy policy. Cause of climate change does not matter. LA bears the impacts of cc. responsible energy policy should include any possible resources. Strive for energy independence and continue to use our resources. Jobs will not materialize overnight. Oil and gas industry has contributed to jobs for years, and loss would hurt economy.
Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX) -- 4:39pm
We are not all situated the same. We must adopt a transparent approach to dealing with carbon fuels. Cost benefit analysis will not be ignored.
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) -- 4:33pm
EPA last week worked without congressional consent. Cap and tax. Consumers won’t be compensated. This will pull thousands out of family budget. Bill will have a Compounding effect.
Rep. John Barrow (D-GA) -- 4:27pm
Energy revolution. Job opportunities makes a renewable energy investment worthwhile. We can all benefit from wind energy and renewable energy investments. Expansion of renewable loan guarantees. Include biofuels. Hope that farmers can be seen for their ability to contribute to reducing carbon.
Rep. GK Butterfield (D-NC) -- 4:23pm
"We must lead the way." Ready to engage in process. Still, though, has concerns. Concerned with RES mandate. Cannot achieve 25% mandate by 2025. greater mix [of sources] should be included. Should include special considerations for states. Impact on low income families. They cannot absorb costs.
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) -- 4:18pm
Spoke to European allowances. Claimed southeast has limited amount of renewable energy access. (Hello? Solar? Germany can do it but Florida can't?)
Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) -- 4:13pm
We can't allow laws to get ahead of technology. Shipping jobs overseas. Action must include other countries. Ensure rest of world joins us in goal of protecting the planet. Significant step in a "correct" direction. CCS must have sig. investment. Electricity crisis in the future, and we must do it all (ie nuclear, renewable, etc. ) to ensure fewer dollars are sent overseas. Draft should increase RES definition to include biomass. Not create a burden but ensure all available resources are included in definition. Energy intensive industries remain viable. Strong framework.
Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) -- 4:08pm
Pull together and do this in a way that boosts our economy. Sells pollution credits will not stop pollution but send industry overseas. As we proceed instead of sniping at each other [word towards] a energy independence and clean environment.
Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA) -- 3:57pm
We should reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere but this bill will devastate our economy
Says the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act wouldn’t have worked
Quoting so many industry-funded groups I honestly can’t keep up but I definitely heard the Heritage Foundation in there
Tax on "every energy producer" for their carbon emissions
Slams bill for "discriminating against coal" and implies we can never hope to get off coal
Says several aspects of the bill are "puzzling at best and harmful to consumers at worst"
Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) – 3:53pm
Calls it the biggest jobs creator since the Apollo program
America’s destiny to be the clean energy arsenal to the world
We need a policy jump-start so clean energy jobs are created here in America
We invented the cap-and-trade system to solve our acid rain problem at half the cost – now we need to learn from Europe’s stumbles in implementing their cap-and-trade program so we don’t make the same mistakes here
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) – 3:48pm
"The debate on the causes of climate change is far from settled"
Will cost the economy "seven million jobs"
Says bill will cost average household $1300 per year (this has long since been debunked
Calls for more nuclear power but doesn’t mention how nuclear needs billions in taxpayer-subsidized loans
"smother innovation" – says we should let the free market decide
Claims this bill would actually drive up global carbon emissions because we can’t act until China and India do
Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) – 3:44pm
Recognizes PowerShift students in the crowd wearing green shirts and green hard hats
"A sound foundation for the legislation"
"Two of its more brilliant provisions" – outdoor lighting efficiency and cash for clunkers
Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) – 3:39pm
While climate change may be one of the most urgent problems facing our country, this bill poses an even greater threat to the ways we produce energy
You can find just as many studies that green jobs won’t offset "traditional jobs" ... has absolutely no evidence to back that up
Says China and India are heavily reliant on coal and we can’t act until they do
On the 25% by 2025 renewable energy goal: "It simply cannot be done." Breathtakingly anti-American, don’t you think?
We should instead promote the use of coal around the world by spending taxpayer money trying to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
Talks about someone who thinks we can store CO2 on the ocean floor – so THAT’S reasonable but windmills are a wild unachievable fantasy?
Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) – 3:33pm
Worries 25% renewable energy standard by 2025 "might be more than the states can handle"
Points out countries like Japan and Korea are now selling us next-generation car battery technology
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) – 3:28pm
Slams US CAP members for not being at the hearing to listen to opening statements. Does he know people can watch these things online?
Calls on "some clever person" to draft a budget amendment withholding the EPA's funding so it can’t regulate carbon emissions
Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) - 3:25pm
Raises more questions than answers, not burden the poor, assistance programs
Design of cap trade must be improved protect environment and economy